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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. squash — the sport
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. cue — a hint
  5. row — a line
  6. drill — the tool
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. cue — for pool
  13. squash — to crush
  14. perch — the fish
  15. drill — a practice
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — music
  20. cue — a signal
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. drill — army training

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com